How+does+students’+language+development+affect+their+learning?+(Camera)

__How does students’ language development affect their learning? __ 

From my own early school experience, I know that a student’s language development can drastically affect their learning. As I wrote in my point of tension study, I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family that valued education. My parents knew how important being read to was for my academic growth. They were determined to ensure that I was an avid reader so I would be successful in school. My parents were in for a rude awakening when my pre-school teacher informed them that I was one of the only children in the class completely unable to read at all. They didn’t understand how this could be; they had heard me read at home and knew how much I enjoyed books. The truth was, I knew how to read on my own but was very apprehensive about it. I would never volunteer in school and would remain silent if I was called on to read in class. If the teacher absolutely forced me to read it was not uncommon for me to cry.

As a baby, I had suffered from chronic ear infections that had left me with a hearing impairment. Fortunately, I was able to undergo a successful procedure that corrected my hearing and was able to hear correctly by age four. However, by the age of four, developmental damage had already occurred. I was unable to hear clearly at a pivotal point in my speech development. Since children at this stage imitate the sounds they hear and I was hearing sounds incorrectly, I was pronouncing sounds erroneously. Sadly, this inadequacy forced me to completely shut down in the class room. I would fear reading aloud because I was embarrassed that my teacher would constantly interrupt me and correct me in front of the entire class. I felt bad that the other kids in my class could read correctly and that I could not. Even at this early age, my language development defect caused me to dread school and the entire learning experience. Every morning I would complain of stomachaches and beg my parents to allow me to stay home. Because of my language setback, school was the most terrifying place in the world.

Language development lies at the heart of all learning. Physical handicaps are not the only factor that could hinder a student’s learning. When a student’s primary discourse does not match the discourse supported by the American school system, that child’s learning will most likely suffer. A student who is continuously told the language fostered in their home is “wrong” is likely to feel inadequate and experience many of the same feelings I spoke about in my point of tension study. It is not uncommon for Hispanic students to experience a disconnect between their Spanish and English literacies. I came to this realization while conducting research for the Linguistic Dimensions study. Both Lucy and Claudia’s parents have a strong desire for their children to excel in the classroom. Both parents acknowledge that Standard English is essential to be successful. Even though their parents recognize the importance of the English Language, they still insist that their children speak Spanish at home to preserve their culture (Gonzales, 2009) (Valdes, 2009). Lucy acknowledged that although she is bilingual, there are times when both of her languages suffer. She states, “Sometimes when I’m with my English friends I try to say a word but can only think of the word in Spanish. Other times when I’m at home talking to my parents I think of a word and can only think of how to say the word in English. When I try to translate the word, my mind goes blank. When I do this in front of my friends, I feel weird. But when I do this in front of my mom I feel bad.” (Gonzales, 2009) Teachers should acknowledge the struggle ELL students have bridging this disconnect. It is imperative that an English Language Arts teacher encourages students to communicate openly about their experiences with issues related to race, ethnicity, and language. They should be aware of the stages each immigrant student goes through in the process of language acquisition. Teachers should foster the belief system that every student can learn. They should emphasize that proficiency can be reached through commitment, focus, effort, and strategy formulation (Ferrer, 2009). Teachers should promote an authentic rapport with their students. English Language Learners will perform best if they perceive their teacher as a person who truly cares.  Sources: